Biodegradation and Subsequent Toxicity Reduction of Co-contaminants Tribenuron Methyl and Metsulfuron Methyl by a Bacterial Consortium B2R

AllyMax is a widely used herbicide formulation in wheat-rice cropping areas of the world. The residues of its active ingredients, tribenuron methyl (TBM) and metsulfuron methyl (MET), persist in soil and water as co-contaminants, and cause serious threats to nontarget organisms. This study was performed to assess the potential of a bacterial consortium for the degradation and detoxification of TBM and MET individually and as co-contaminants. A bacterial consortium (B2R), comprising Bacillus cereus SU-1, Bacillus velezensis OS-2, and Rhodococcus rhodochrous AQ1, capable of degrading TBM and MET in liquid cultures was developed. Biodegradation of TBM and MET was optimized using the Taguchi design of experiment. Optimum degradation of both TBM and MET was obtained at pH 7 and 37 °C. Regarding media composition, optimum degradation of TBM and MET was obtained in minimal salt medium (MSM) supplemented with glucose, and MSM without glucose, respectively. The consortium simultaneously degraded TBM and MET (94.8 and 80.4%, respectively) in cultures containing the formulation AllyMax, where TBM and MET existed as co-contaminants at 2.5 mg/L each. Mass spectrometry analysis confirmed that during biodegradation, TBM and MET were metabolized into simpler compounds. Onion (Allium cepa) root inhibition and Comet assays revealed that the bacterial consortium B2R detoxified TBM and MET separately and as co-contaminants. The consortium B2R can potentially be used for the remediation of soil and water co-contaminated with TBM and MET.